Electrically-operated valve-gate.



in. 707,938. Patented Aug. 26, I902. A. 0BR.

ELEGTBICALLY OPERATED VALVE GATE.

(A pp lication filed Apr. 21, 1002.)

(No Model.)

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ALEXANDER ORR, OF GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

ELECTRlCALLY OPERATED VALVE-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,938, dated August26, 1902. Application filed April 21, 1902. Serial No. 103,909. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LALEXANDER ORR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gloversville, in the county of Fulton and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Electrically-Operated Valve-Gate, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to electrically-operated valve-gates, and moreparticularly to an appliance used for opening and closing the so-calledauxiliary valve generally used in connection with a large main valve.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my device applied to an auxiliaryvalve. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryplan View, somewhat enlarged, showing part of the means for releasingthe motor mechanism controlling the valve. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sideelevation, somewhat enlarged, showing a part of the mechanism fordisengaging the motor mechanism.

To the valve-casing 1, containing the auxiliary valve, are secured theusual hydraulic pipes 2, 3, 4, 5 and'6 for operating the main valve. Thevalve-stem is shown at 7and is actuated by the connecting-rod formed ofthe members 8 9, which are provided with a turnbuckle 10 for the purposeof adjusting the valve. An eccentric llis mounted upon the shaft '12 forthe purpose of operating the valve-stem. Gear-wheels 13 14 are connectedtogether and are also connected with the drum 15. This drum is providedwith a pawl 16 and a ratchet 17 of ordinary'construction and is drivenby a weighted cord 18. A cam is provided at 19 and a revoluble arm at20. A magnet 21 is provided with an armature 22, thisarmature beingmounted upon the beam 23 and normally held in the position indicated bythe adjustable spring 24. The screw 26 is for the purpose of adjustingthe play of the armature. A lever 27 is provided with a boss 28 and ispivotally mounted at 29. The outer end of this lever is provided with aboss 30, which extends through the lever and is provided with aprismatic portion 36, disposed adjacent to the end of the beam 23. Aleaf-spring 31 is mounted upon the beam 23 and is provided with anangular head 33, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 4. A prismaticboss 35 is rigidly secured upon-the beam 23, Whereas the prismatic boss36 is connected with the beam 27 as above stated. The relation of theseparts'is shown more particularly in Fig. 4. The cam 19, the revolublearm 20, the gearwheel 14, and the drum 15 are all mounted rigidly uponthe shaft 37. Upon the shaft 29 is mounted a movable arm 38, which,taken together with the member 27, constitutes a substantially L-shapedlever free to rock upon the shaft 29. All of the parts are preferablymounted upon a board 40. The spring 39 retractsthe beam 27. Anelectrical pushbutton 41 is connected with an electrode 42, from which awire 43 leads to the magnet 21. From this magnet a wire 44leads back tothe electrode 45, this electrode being connected by means of the wire 46with the battery47. Another electrode 48 is by means of the wire 49connected with the bell 50, which is likewise connected with battery 47,as is indicated in Fig. 1. From the electrodes and 48 the wires 51 52lead to the respective spring-contacts 53 54. When the shaft 12 isrotated, the bosses 5-5 56, mounted upon the revoluble head 57 on theshaft12, by lifting the spring 53 cause the contacts to be momentarilyclosed.

The operation of my device is as follows: The drum 15 is wound up in anypreferred manner. If desired, a key may be inserted through the sleeve58 (see Fig. 1) for this purpose. The drum being wound, the weightedcord 18 causes the drum to rotate, thereby operating the gear-wheels 1314 and the eccentric 11. This causes the valve-stem 7 to reciprocate.The gear-wheels 13 14 are so proportioned that one revolution of thewheel 13 is equivalent to two revolutions of the wheel 14, so that onecomplete revolution of the shaft 37 causes the valve-stein 7 to movesimply the length of the valve-casing represented by the stroke of theeccentric 11. The revoluble arm 20 restrains the motor mechanism,consisting of the revoluble drum and its gearing, thereby preventing thesame from running down. The motor mechanism can only be actuated for amoment at a time and that moment occurs when the revoluble arm 20 ismomentarily freed. When the button 41 is pressed by the operative,thecircuit from the battery is completed through the contacts 42 45, andthe magnet 21, thus energizing the magnet and causing the armature 22 tobe attracted thereby. The armature moves toward the magnet and carriesthe boss 36 slightly downward,disengagiug the same from the boss 35. Thespring 39 thereupon draws the beam 27 toward the magnet, causing the arm38 to swing toward the shaft 37that is to say, the beam 27 beingreleased and drawn by the spring 39, causes the arm 38 to rock, togetherwith the shaft 29. The beam 27 when thus moved upward carries with itthe boss 28 and releases the upper end of the revoluble arm 20, whichbeing thus disengaged moves outward from the board 40 and makes arevolution. As the arm 20 is rigidly mounted upon theshaft 37,this shaftlikewise makes one complete revolution. The cam 19, which is mountedupon the shaft and which of course revolves therewith, is brought intocontact with the arm 38, which is pushed back into its originalposition, thus rocking the shaft 29 and drawing the beam 27 into theposition indicated in Fig. 2. The boss 28 is thus brought back into thepath of the upper or free end of the revoluble arm 20, so that when thisarm reachesthe position indicated in Fig. 2 it meets with theobstruction caused by the boss 28 and comes to a stop, therebypreventing any further motion of the motor mechanism. The revolution ofthe shaft 12 by raising the spring 53 by means of the bosses 55 56closes the contact between this spring and spring54, thereby completingthe circuit from the battery 47 through the bell 50 and apprising theoperative that the shaft 12 is revolving. By this arrangement theoperative can determine after pressing the button whether the valve isworking properly. One winding of the drum is suflicient to actuate thevalve a considerable number of times. The general object is to enable anoperative who has control of the push-button 4:1 to open and close thevalve, which may be at a distance. Each time the button is pressed thevalve-stem 7 moves the length of the casing. If the valve is open, apush of the button serves to close it, and vice versa, if the valve isclosed, a push of the button serves to open it. \Vhen the cam 19 pushesthe arm 38 into the position indicated in Fig. 2, so as to draw the beam27 forward, the beveled surfaces of the bosses 35 36 enable the bossesto pass each other, and the beveled head 33 of the spring 31 allows thebosses to engage each other Without any great shock. The idea is to havethe beam 27 snap into p0- sition somewhat after the manner of thespring-bolt of a look. It will be noted that if the button is pressedfor too great a period of time, so that the arm 20 tends to make morethan a single revolution, the angular head 33 is lodged in the path ofthe prismatic boss 36. When, therefore, the cam 19 pushes the arm 38 andthe arm 27 moves downward or toward the free end of the beam 23, theprismatic boss 36 encounters the bevel of the angular head 33, raisesthe head slightly, moves past it, and lodges against its flat edge.When, however, the circuit is broken, the beam 23 moves slightly andallows the boss 36 to pass under the head 33 and lodge against the boss35, where it remains until the button is pushed again.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. An electrically-operated valve-gate, comprising avalve-stem for operating a valve, motor mechanism for actuating saidvalvestem, said motor mechanism being provided with a revoluble arm, alever provided with a boss for engaging said arm, thereby normallyrestraining said motor mechanism, and means controllable at will foractuating said lever, thus causing said boss to momentarily disengagesaid arm.

2. An electrically-operated valve-gate, comprising a valve-stem foroperating a valve, motor mechanism for actuating said valvestem, saidmotor mechanism being provided with a revoluble arm and with a cam, alever provided with a boss for normally engaging said arm for thepurpose of restraining said motor mechanism, and also provided with asurface to be engaged by said cam, and means controllable at will forreleasing said lever.

3. An electrically-operated valve-gate, comprising a valve-stem foroperating a valve, motor mechanism for actuating said valvestem, saidmotor mechanism being provided with a revoluble arm and with a cam, alever provided with a boss for normally engaging said arm, thusrestraining said motor mechanism, and also provided with a surface to beengaged by said cam, an electromagnet, means for energizing the same, anarmature for said magnet, and mechanism controllable by said armaturefor momentarily releasing said lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER ORR.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. MCDONALD, MERTIE G. lIowELL.

